---
title: "How to copy files from the Docker container to the host?"  
description: "How to copy files from the Docker container to the host?"  
author: "Utpal Vishwas"  
published: 2023-08-21  
updated: 2023-08-23  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/159615/how-to-copy-files-from-the-docker-container-to-the-host  
category: "webhosting"  
tags: ["file", "host", "docker container"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# How to copy files from the Docker container to the host?

How to [copy files](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/159611/how-to-copy-files-from-the-host-to-the-docker-container) from the [Docker](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/161003/what-is-docker) [container](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/159610/how-to-connect-a-windows-container-to-a-service-running-on-localhost) to the [host](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/85456/foreign-direct-investment-fdi-and-its-impacts-on-host-countries)?

## Replies

### Reply by Aryan Kumar

There are a few ways to [copy](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/161993/explain-the-numpy-array-copy-vs-view-with-example) [files](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/23302/the-importance-and-advantage-of-keeping-your-important-files-on-the-cloud) from a Docker container to the host machine.

**Using the** `docker cp` **command:** The `docker cp` command allows you to copy files between a container and the host machine. To copy a file from a container to the host machine, you need to specify the container name or ID, the source file path, and the destination file path on the host machine. For example, to copy the file `/app/myfile.txt` from the container named `mycontainer` to the file `/home/user/myfile.txt` on the host machine, you would run the following command:

```plaintext
docker cp mycontainer:/app/myfile.txt /home/user/myfile.txt
```

**Using the** `docker run` **command with the** `-v` **option:** The `docker run` command allows you to run a Docker container. The `-v` option allows you to mount a volume from the host machine to the container. To mount a volume from the host machine to the container, you need to specify the host path and the container path. For example, to mount the directory `/home/user/myfiles` from the host machine to the directory `/app` in the container, you would run the following command:

```plaintext
docker run -v /home/user/myfiles:/app mycontainer
```

Once the container is running, you can copy files from the host machine to the container by using the `cp` command inside the container.

**Using a third-party tool:** There are a number of third-party tools that can help you copy files between Docker containers and host machines. Some of these tools include: * Portainer: https://www.portainer.io/: A web-based UI for managing Docker containers. * Docker Desktop: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop: A desktop application for managing Docker containers. * Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/: A registry for Docker images.

The best way to copy files from a Docker container to the host machine depends on the specific situation. If you are comfortable using the command line, then the `docker cp` command is the easiest way to do it. If you want to use a graphical user interface, then you can use a third-party tool like Portainer or Docker Desktop.


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/159615/how-to-copy-files-from-the-docker-container-to-the-host

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